Royce White Thinks He Might Never Play in the NBA

The Royce White Saga continues in Houston, where the rookie forward now says that it’s quite likely he will never suit up for the Rockets (or any other NBA team, for that matter.) Per the Houston Chronicle (via Sirius/XM Radio): “With no end to his impasse with the Rockets in sight, rookie Royce White said it is very likely that he never plays in the NBA, citing a lack of league-wide protocol for dealing with mental health issues including his anxiety disorder. ‘I think that the chances are very high,’ White said. ‘And I say that just like I said before the draft that the chances were very high that I didn’t even get drafted. Because business in America, as we all know, is about one thing and that’s convenience and efficiency. And oftentimes what the efficient thing to do is not the healthiest thing to do, right? That’s why we still sell cigarettes. It wouldn’t shock me if we couldn’t be logical and say a protocol is needed because it’ll be the hard thing to do. If that’s the case then so be it. I stand on what I say and I refuse to put myself in a hazardous situation to play a sport.’ White had previously charged the Rockets with giving inconsistent support and failing to adhere to doctors’ recommendations for his return to the team. But when asked about playing for another team, White said leaving the Rockets would not provide a solution. ‘I don’t see that going to another team would help anything because no matter what team I go to a protocol is still going to need to be put in place,’ White said. ‘It’s a league thing. The reality is that it is not Houston’s fault. As much as we always want to try and blame one side or the other and try and find the black and white in it, it’s not black and white. It’s gray. And they’ve been thrown into a position now where they’re forced to make things up as they go because a protocol has not been put in place for mental health up until this point. And that’s tough for anybody to do. If there were no safety or health codes on how to construct a building, the people who are going to try to build a building tomorrow are going to be in trouble. That’s just the reality here so I don’t really think going to another team is something that would be better. And it’s not something that I want to do. I want to play for Houston.’ White has been away from the team since Nov. 12. He worked out with basketball staff intern Derrick Alston last week, sessions that were considered a step toward returning to the team, a person with knowledge of the plan said. The next step was to be a stint with the Rockets NBA Development League affiliate, according to the person familiar with the plan. The Rockets assigned White to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Saturday. He released a statement the next day saying he would not report to the D-League team.”